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House investigating whether Trump lied to Robert Mueller – live House investigating whether Trump lied to Robert Mueller – live
(32 minutes later)
House tells federal court it is investigating whether Trump lied: ‘Was the president not truthful in his responses to the Mueller investigation?’House tells federal court it is investigating whether Trump lied: ‘Was the president not truthful in his responses to the Mueller investigation?’
Khizr Khan, the Gold Star father who became famous following his speech condemning Trump at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, has announced he is endorsing Joe Biden’s presidential campaign.
“I’m supporting Joe Biden for President because of the America he stands for and the one he will fight for — the country that my son, Humayun Khan, believed in and fought for so bravely,” Khan said in a statement released by Biden’s campaign.
“Beating Donald Trump and the hatred he promotes is the top priority in this election. But after Trump is gone, we need someone to help unite us and help us heal. I trust Joe Biden to be that person because I know his heart like I know my own.”
In his 2016 speech, Khan reflected upon the loss of his son in the Iraq War and lambasted Trump’s proposal to block Muslims from entering the country. “Let me ask you, have you even read the United States constitution?” Khan famously said, addressing Trump. Producing a reproduction of the constitution from his pocket, Khan added, “I will gladly lend you my copy.”
The speech sparked an attack from then-candidate Trump, who claimed Khan had not “allowed” his wife Ghazala to speak. That triggered criticism from both Republicans and Democrats and was considered by many to be one of the lowest points of Trump’s campaign.
The Supreme Court has issued a temporary stay on the House subpoena demanding access to Trump’s financial records, fulfilling the president’s wishes for the time being.
The House’s top lawyer previously said lawmakers would consent to a 10-day delay to allow for the filing of all applicable briefs in the case, but the counsel emphasized that a longer delay should not be necessary.
Here’s where the day stands so far:Here’s where the day stands so far:
Trump said he would “strongly consider” testifying in the impeachment inquiry, possibly in writing, but that suggestion was met with skepticism given the president’s refusal to be interviewed by special counsel Robert Mueller.Trump said he would “strongly consider” testifying in the impeachment inquiry, possibly in writing, but that suggestion was met with skepticism given the president’s refusal to be interviewed by special counsel Robert Mueller.
House lawyers told a federal court that lawmakers are investigating whether Trump lied to Mueller, as the Justice Department seeks a stay on congressional Democrats obtaining the special counsel’s grand jury material.House lawyers told a federal court that lawmakers are investigating whether Trump lied to Mueller, as the Justice Department seeks a stay on congressional Democrats obtaining the special counsel’s grand jury material.
The Ukrainian president reportedly felt pressured to announce an investigation into Joe Biden months before his July phone call with Trump, undercutting his denials of such a campaign by the president’s allies.The Ukrainian president reportedly felt pressured to announce an investigation into Joe Biden months before his July phone call with Trump, undercutting his denials of such a campaign by the president’s allies.
The blog will have much more coming up, so stay tuned.The blog will have much more coming up, so stay tuned.
Pete Buttigieg’s campaign issued an explanation on how a woman from Kenya ended up featured on its website promoting the Democratic presidential candidate’s “Douglass Plan: A Comprehensive Investment in the Empowerment of Black America.”Pete Buttigieg’s campaign issued an explanation on how a woman from Kenya ended up featured on its website promoting the Democratic presidential candidate’s “Douglass Plan: A Comprehensive Investment in the Empowerment of Black America.”
Buttigieg’s rapid response communications director said that the picture has been removed and noted the stock photo was not initially labeled as having been taken in Kenya.Buttigieg’s rapid response communications director said that the picture has been removed and noted the stock photo was not initially labeled as having been taken in Kenya.
The staffer added that the campaign’s web operations have been moved in-house to prevent such errors in the future.The staffer added that the campaign’s web operations have been moved in-house to prevent such errors in the future.
Two House Republicans are requesting information from a Senate Republican on conversations he reportedly had with Trump and Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the EU, about the frozen military aid to Ukraine.Two House Republicans are requesting information from a Senate Republican on conversations he reportedly had with Trump and Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the EU, about the frozen military aid to Ukraine.
“Because the Democrats have abandoned fundamental fairness and objectivity in their ‘impeachment inquiry,’ we reluctantly write to request any firsthand information you have about President Trump’s actions toward Ukraine between April and September 2019,” representatives Jim Jordan and Devin Nunes wrote to senator Ron Johnson.“Because the Democrats have abandoned fundamental fairness and objectivity in their ‘impeachment inquiry,’ we reluctantly write to request any firsthand information you have about President Trump’s actions toward Ukraine between April and September 2019,” representatives Jim Jordan and Devin Nunes wrote to senator Ron Johnson.
The Wisconsin Republican said yesterday he likely would not testify in the inquiry but would be willing to “supply my telling of events” in a written statement.The Wisconsin Republican said yesterday he likely would not testify in the inquiry but would be willing to “supply my telling of events” in a written statement.
Johnson told the Wall Street Journal last month that Sondland explicitly tied the frozen aid to an announcement of investigations, but Trump later told the Senate Republican that the two were not connected.Johnson told the Wall Street Journal last month that Sondland explicitly tied the frozen aid to an announcement of investigations, but Trump later told the Senate Republican that the two were not connected.
According to a new poll, 70% of Americans believe Trump’s alleged efforts to have Ukraine investigate his political rival, Joe Biden, were wrong.According to a new poll, 70% of Americans believe Trump’s alleged efforts to have Ukraine investigate his political rival, Joe Biden, were wrong.
The ABC News/Ipsos poll found that 51% of Americans think Trump should be impeached and removed from office. Another 19% say Trump’s actions were wrong but that he should not be removed from office, and 25% believe the president did nothing wrong.The ABC News/Ipsos poll found that 51% of Americans think Trump should be impeached and removed from office. Another 19% say Trump’s actions were wrong but that he should not be removed from office, and 25% believe the president did nothing wrong.
And as the second week of impeachment hearings begins tomorrow, only 21% of Americans say they are following the hearings very closely.And as the second week of impeachment hearings begins tomorrow, only 21% of Americans say they are following the hearings very closely.
Lawyers for the House suggested in a previous court filing that the grand jury material from Robert Mueller’s investigation could help them determine whether Trump was truthful in his answers to the special counsel.Lawyers for the House suggested in a previous court filing that the grand jury material from Robert Mueller’s investigation could help them determine whether Trump was truthful in his answers to the special counsel.
“Not only could those materials demonstrate the president’s motives for obstructing the special counsel’s investigation, they also could reveal that Trump was aware of his campaign’s contacts with WikiLeaks,” the lawyer’s wrote in the late September filing.“Not only could those materials demonstrate the president’s motives for obstructing the special counsel’s investigation, they also could reveal that Trump was aware of his campaign’s contacts with WikiLeaks,” the lawyer’s wrote in the late September filing.
They added, “Those materials therefore have direct bearing on whether the president was untruthful, and further obstructed the special counsel’s investigation, when in providing written responses to the special counsel’s questions he denied being aware of any communications between his campaign and WikiLeaks.”They added, “Those materials therefore have direct bearing on whether the president was untruthful, and further obstructed the special counsel’s investigation, when in providing written responses to the special counsel’s questions he denied being aware of any communications between his campaign and WikiLeaks.”
The House told a federal court that it is investigating whether Trump lied to Robert Mueller as the Justice Department seeks a stay on lawmakers receiving grand jury material from the special counsel’s investigation.The House told a federal court that it is investigating whether Trump lied to Robert Mueller as the Justice Department seeks a stay on lawmakers receiving grand jury material from the special counsel’s investigation.
The president provided Mueller with written answers to some of the special counsel’s questions but refused to sit for an interview with his team. Mueller also wrote in his final report that he considered some of Trump’s answers to be incomplete or imprecise.The president provided Mueller with written answers to some of the special counsel’s questions but refused to sit for an interview with his team. Mueller also wrote in his final report that he considered some of Trump’s answers to be incomplete or imprecise.
Even though he has not yet officially launched his presidential bid, billionaire Michael Bloomberg has already picked up a key endorsement in the early voting state of South Carolina.Even though he has not yet officially launched his presidential bid, billionaire Michael Bloomberg has already picked up a key endorsement in the early voting state of South Carolina.
The AP reports:The AP reports:
Other Democratic presidential candidates have struggled to put a dent in Joe Biden’s lead in South Carolina. A new CBS News/YouGov poll from the state showed Biden attracting the support of 45% of South Carolina Democrats, putting him 28 points ahead of second-place finisher Elizabeth Warren.Other Democratic presidential candidates have struggled to put a dent in Joe Biden’s lead in South Carolina. A new CBS News/YouGov poll from the state showed Biden attracting the support of 45% of South Carolina Democrats, putting him 28 points ahead of second-place finisher Elizabeth Warren.
An endorsement from a prominent African American politician could help Bloomberg start to chip away at Biden’s polling advantage, particularly given South Carolina’s large black electorate. The former New York mayor also visited a black church yesterday to apologize for championing “stop and frisk” despite its disproportionate effect on people of color.An endorsement from a prominent African American politician could help Bloomberg start to chip away at Biden’s polling advantage, particularly given South Carolina’s large black electorate. The former New York mayor also visited a black church yesterday to apologize for championing “stop and frisk” despite its disproportionate effect on people of color.
Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer has sent a letter to defense secretary Mark Esper asking him to ensure that two of the witnesses in this week’s impeachment hearing, Lt Col Alexander Vindman and Laura Cooper, are protected from retaliation.Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer has sent a letter to defense secretary Mark Esper asking him to ensure that two of the witnesses in this week’s impeachment hearing, Lt Col Alexander Vindman and Laura Cooper, are protected from retaliation.
“Since their identities were revealed, LTC Vindman and Ms. Cooper have been vilified and attacked by individuals in the media and elsewhere,” Schumer wrote.“Since their identities were revealed, LTC Vindman and Ms. Cooper have been vilified and attacked by individuals in the media and elsewhere,” Schumer wrote.
“Accordingly, I request that you formally notify all civilian and military personnel of their legal rights to make protected disclosures to Congress. I also request that you brief me on what actions are being taken to ensure that LTC Vindman, Ms. Cooper, and other whistleblowers like them are afforded appropriate protections—both from workplace reprisals and for their personal safety and that of their families.”“Accordingly, I request that you formally notify all civilian and military personnel of their legal rights to make protected disclosures to Congress. I also request that you brief me on what actions are being taken to ensure that LTC Vindman, Ms. Cooper, and other whistleblowers like them are afforded appropriate protections—both from workplace reprisals and for their personal safety and that of their families.”
Vindman, the top Ukraine expert on the national security council, is scheduled to testify tomorrow morning, and Cooper, a deputy assistant secretary of defense, will speak to impeachment investigators on Wednesday afternoon.Vindman, the top Ukraine expert on the national security council, is scheduled to testify tomorrow morning, and Cooper, a deputy assistant secretary of defense, will speak to impeachment investigators on Wednesday afternoon.
The Federal Reserve has just announced that its chairman, Jerome Powell, met with Trump and Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin in a sit-down that was not on the president’s original public schedule.The Federal Reserve has just announced that its chairman, Jerome Powell, met with Trump and Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin in a sit-down that was not on the president’s original public schedule.
The central bank said in a statement after the meeting, “At the President’s invitation, Chair Powell met with the President and the Treasury Secretary Monday morning at the White House to discuss the economy, growth, employment and inflation.The central bank said in a statement after the meeting, “At the President’s invitation, Chair Powell met with the President and the Treasury Secretary Monday morning at the White House to discuss the economy, growth, employment and inflation.
“Chair Powell’s comments were consistent with his remarks at his congressional hearings last week. He did not discuss his expectations for monetary policy, except to stress that the path of policy will depend entirely on incoming information that bears on the outlook for the economy.“Chair Powell’s comments were consistent with his remarks at his congressional hearings last week. He did not discuss his expectations for monetary policy, except to stress that the path of policy will depend entirely on incoming information that bears on the outlook for the economy.
“Finally, Chair Powell said that he and his colleagues on the Federal Open Market Committee will set monetary policy, as required by law, to support maximum employment and stable prices and will make those decisions based solely on careful, objective and non-political analysis.”“Finally, Chair Powell said that he and his colleagues on the Federal Open Market Committee will set monetary policy, as required by law, to support maximum employment and stable prices and will make those decisions based solely on careful, objective and non-political analysis.”
That final sentences appears to be a clear dig at Trump, who has tried to pressure Powell to lower interest rates more quickly by criticizing him over Twitter.That final sentences appears to be a clear dig at Trump, who has tried to pressure Powell to lower interest rates more quickly by criticizing him over Twitter.
However, Trump was purely positive in his latest tweet about Powell, claiming their meeting was “very good & cordial.”However, Trump was purely positive in his latest tweet about Powell, claiming their meeting was “very good & cordial.”
Testifying to Congress last week, Powell said that he was confident the Fed’s plan for lowering interest rates would help the US economy, although he acknowledged the trade war with China (among other factors) has harmed growth.Testifying to Congress last week, Powell said that he was confident the Fed’s plan for lowering interest rates would help the US economy, although he acknowledged the trade war with China (among other factors) has harmed growth.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy reportedly felt pressure to announce an investigation into Joe Biden even before his July phone call with Trump, which sparked the impeachment inquiry.
The AP reports:
This new reporting undermines Zelenskiy’s denials that he felt White House pressure to investigate Biden, which Republicans have repeatedly cited to push back against Democrats’ accusations in the impeachment inquiry.
A CNN reporter noted that it is smart to be skeptical of Trump’s claim that he might testify in the impeachment inquiry, given the president’s repeated promises to answer questions from special counsel Robert Mueller.
Trump did eventually answer some written questions from Mueller’s team, but the president refused to sit down for an interview despite the special counsel’s requests. Mueller also said in his report that he found a number of Trump’s written answers to be incomplete or imprecise.
The accelerating impeachment inquiry has reportedly created tension in the relationship between Trump and secretary of state Mike Pompeo, who has previously been considered one of the cabinet members with the most sway over the president.
NBC News reports:
According to his public schedule, Trump is set to meet with Pompeo at 4 p.m. today, so the subject of state department officials testifying in the inquiry may arise again.
Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was back on the bench today after missing one day of oral arguments last week because of a “stomach bug.”
The liberal justice, who is the oldest member of the court at 86 years old, has had some health issues in recent months and has fought cancer several times.
David Holmes, a staffer at the US embassy in Kyiv, has arrived on Capitol Hill to review his closed-door testimony in the impeachment inquiry.
According to his opening statement, Holmes today impeachment investigators that Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the EU, had referenced a “Biden investigation” in Ukraine as a possible boon to the president.
The testimony undermines Sondland’s assertion to the House committees investigating impeachment that he was not aware of a connection between the Ukrainian energy company Burisma and the Bidens.
Meanwhile, on the 2020 campaign trail, it was a very mixed weekend for Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg.
On the plus side, the Indiana mayor surged into first place in a CNN/Des Moines Register/Mediacom poll of likely Iowa caucusgoers. Buttigieg has hit 25% in the first caucus state – putting him nine points ahead of Elizabeth Warren and 10 points ahead of Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden.
However, the Intercept also published an article on the Buttigieg campaign’s outreach (or lack thereof) to African American voters, who make up a large portion of the Democratic primary electorate.
According to the Intercept, Buttigieg’s campaign recently released a list of 400 endorsers of his “Douglass Plan: A Comprehensive Investment in the Empowerment of Black America.” However, some of the most prominent endorsers said they actually had misgivings about the plan or felt their support for the proposal had been purposely misconstrued as an endorsement of Buttigieg’s candidacy.
To top it all off, at least half of the people on the list were white, even though the campaign had billed the endorsements as a demonstration of support for Buttigieg within the black community.
The Intercept reporter who wrote the story later added that a woman in Kenya was confused to see a picture of her used as a stock photo on Buttigieg’s website for the Douglass Plan. The campaign removed the photo and blamed the error on a contractor who helped build the website.
Long story short: Buttigieg is in a strong position in Iowa. But the question of how he will build his campaign beyond the mostly white states of Iowa and New Hampshire remains largely unanswered.
Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer echoed House speaker Nancy Pelosi’s suggestion that Trump come testify in the impeachment inquiry.
“If Donald Trump doesn’t agree with what he’s hearing, doesn’t like what he’s hearing, he shouldn’t tweet. He should come to the committee and testify under oath,” the New York Democrat said yesterday. “And he should allow all those around him to come to the committee and testify under oath.”
Schumer argued Trump’s refusal to cooperate with the inquiry, as well as his efforts to block aides from testifying, beg the question: “What is he hiding?”
Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the EU who is set to testify on Wednesday, reportedly kept some senior administration officials aware of the campaign to pressure Ukraine to open investigations into Joe Biden and the 2016 election.
The Wall Street Journal reports:
Sondland will almost be certainly be pressed on who in the White House knew what and when during his public testimony in the impeachment inquiry on Wednesday.
Trump is using his light schedule today to tweet out more criticism of Democrats for their handling of the House impeachment inquiry.
However, the president interestingly said he would “strongly consider” testifying in the impeachment inquiry, possibly in writing.
Nancy Pelosi suggested that Trump testify while appearing on “Face the Nation” yesterday. “If he has information that is exculpatory, that means ex, taking away, culpable, blame, then we look forward to seeing it,” the House speaker said.
Pelosi added that Trump “could come right before the committee and talk, speak all the truth that he wants if he wants.”
Good morning, live blog readers!
The second round of public hearings in the impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump begins tomorrow, and Republicans’ defenses of the president’s alleged efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate his political rival, Joe Biden, are going to be put to the test.
Republicans on the House intelligence committee sought to dismiss last week’s damning testimony from Bill Taylor, Gorge Kent and Maria Yovanovitch as secondhand information because none of the state department officials spoke directly to Trump as the Ukraine controversy unfolded.
However, Trump’s congressional allies will need to devise a new defense this week. Some of this week’s most anticipated witnesses – Lt Col Alexander Vindman, who will testify tomorrow, and Gordon Sondland, who will testify Wednesday – did speak to Trump directly about the pressure campaign. Vindman was even on Trump’s July call with the Ukrainian president that sparked the initial whistleblower complaint.
As the hearings get closer and closer to the White House, congressional Republicans will have to quickly work out a new strategy if they want to protect Trump from the accelerating inquiry.
Here’s what else the blog is keeping its eye on today:
Trump has no public events today but will meet with secretary of state Mike Pompeo this afternoon.
Democratic presidential candidate Deval Patrick will make his first visit to Iowa since launching his campaign.
The House and the Senate are back in session.
That’s all still coming up, so stay tuned.